Cilic-Dodig, Tipsarevic-Bolelli enter doubles semis

Chennai: The Croatian pair of Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig and the Serboian-Italian combination of Janko Tipsarevic and Simone advanced to the doubles semifinals of the Aircel ATP Chennai Open tennis tournament here on Thursday.

Cilic and Dogig will face top seed Indian pair of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi in their last-four match if the local favourites win their quarterfinal tie on Friday. Tipsarevic and Bolelli were scheduled to face the winner of the last-eight match between the Indo-Pak pair of Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-ul-Haq-Qureshi and the Dutch-American duo of Robin Haase and David Martin, to be held later tonight. Cilic and Dodig overcame dodgy backhands to post a 6-2 6-4 win over the Thai brothers Sanchai Ratiwatana and Sonchat Ratiwatana, who lifted the doubles title here in 2008.Tipsarevic and Bolelli, meanwhile, brushed aside the American pair of Rajeev Ram and Scott Lipsky 6-4 6-2. Cilic and Dodig suffered from the former`s failure to put across numerous backhand returns, but the former two-time Chennai Open singles winner made up for it through his whiplash forehand returns and strong serving. While the Croatian pair had five aces against their name, the Thai pair had only one. Cilic and Dodig also saved all five of the break points against them and converted three that came their way. PTI